Ottawa to shut TikTok's Canada operations, says app can still be used

TikTok has travel nether scrutiny for its ownership nether China-based ByteDance.. Photo: Antonin UTZ / AFP/File
Source: AFP

Ottawa said Wednesday it is shutting TikTok's operations successful Canada pursuing a information review, but Canadians volition inactive beryllium allowed to usage the fashionable video sharing app.

"The authorities is taking enactment to code the circumstantial nationalist information risks related to ByteDance Ltd.'s operations successful Canada," Francois-Philippe Champagne, curate of innovation, subject and industry, said successful a statement.

Ottawa is not imposing restrictions connected Canadian users of TikTok, which has travel nether scrutiny for its ownership nether China-based ByteDance.

"The determination to usage a societal media exertion oregon level is simply a idiosyncratic choice," Champagne said.

Canada banned TikTok from each authorities devices past twelvemonth and launched a information reappraisal of the application.

Champagne said Wednesday's determination was made successful accordance with a instrumentality that "allows for the reappraisal of overseas investments that whitethorn beryllium injurious to Canada's nationalist security."

A cyber adept astatine the University of Ottawa, Michael Geist, said "there whitethorn good beryllium bully reasons" to prohibition the app but warned the determination could beryllium counterproductive.

"Banning the institution alternatively than the app whitethorn really marque matters worse since the risks associated with the app volition stay but the quality to clasp the institution accountable volition beryllium weakened," Geist wrote successful an online post.

TikTok besides faces a prohibition successful the United States if it remains owned by ByteDance -- a menace the institution is battling successful a national appeals court, arguing that it violates escaped code rights.

The US authorities alleges that TikTok allows Beijing to cod information and spy connected users. It besides says the level is simply a conduit to dispersed propaganda.

China and the institution powerfully contradict these claims.

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Source: AFP